Layers of meaning unfold in altered books exhibition
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Photos by Alexandra Butler, photographer/photo editor
A reception for “Books Undone 2: The Art of Altered Books” was enjoyed by nearly 100 people on Sunday. The national juried exhibition is on display through July 21 in The Gallery at Penn College.
Awards were presented to six of the exhibiting artists:
First place: “Commentaries on American Law: Coal Energy,” by Margaret Whiting, of Waterloo, Iowa
Second place: “237 Ripples: ribbon (falls),” by Chris Perry, of Ridgefield, Connecticut
Third place: “Everted Sanctuaries VI,” by Ryan Lewis, of Kalamazoo, Michigan
Honorable Mentions: “Biography: Unwritten,” by Toby Lee Greenberg, of New York City; “Towers,” by Dave Stabley, of Muncy; and “Blue Field no. 2” by Laura J. Stein,” of New York City
Scott McCarney, an artist, designer and educator residing in Rochester, New York, served as juror for the exhibition.
He reviewed 163 works submitted by 77 artists and selected 64 pieces for the show, spotlighting the ingenuity of 41 artists from 20 states. Twelve of the artists attended the reception and answered visitors’ questions about their creations.
The Gallery at Penn College’s first exhibition of altered books, “Books Undone,” was held in 2018.
Located on the third floor of The Madigan Library at Pennsylvania College of Technology, the gallery’s summer hours are: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. (The gallery is closed on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays and will be closed July 3-7.) For more information, visit the gallery site.